Animal-trap.



PATBNTED FEB. .24,71903. C. o. NESMITH & J..L. BREWER.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1902.

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' UNITEDl )STATES CHRISTOPHER ycfrIEsKMITr'I.

PATENT OFFICE.

AND JOEL L. BREWER, MANCHESTER,

ALABAMA; `T Y ANIMAL-TRAP.

srncrrcarron forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,321, dated February24, 1903. Application filed NovemberZ. 19.02; Serial No. 132,954. (Nomodel.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHRISTOPHER C.' NES- MITH and JOEL L.BREwEmjcitizens of the United States, residing at Manchester, in thecounty of Marshall and State of Alabama, have invented certain new anduseful YImprovements in Animal-Traps; and we do declare the following tobe a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe sa'me.

This invention relates to improvements in animal-traps, and particularlyto the class of self-setting traps. The-object is to construct a trap ofthis character which will be positive and reliable in action, simple inconstruction, and ever ready for an animal to enter.

A further object 'is to provide a trapwhich Vfrom its construction willattract animals into itself without the necessity of bait.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and arrangement of the parts, as will be hereinafterterlocking ends of the vestibule bottom'` plates. Fig. 5 is afragmentarybottom pl'an view of the same. L

In the drawings, 1 denotes the runway-passage or vestibule of the trap,formed by two vertically-disposed .parallel sidewalls 2, the end walls 3ot' which slope downwardly and are provided with entrance-openings 4,which are adapted to be closed by inwardly-opening doors 5, hinged attheir lower edges between The bottom of said passage is formed of twoplates 6 and 7, pivotally supported near their outer ends upon crosspins or bars S, arranged between the walls 2, the inner ends of theplates 6 and 7 being provided with interlocking fmgers or projections 6and 7. As shown in the drawings, the plate 6 is provided with onecentrally-arranged inger or projection 6', while the plate 7 has twofingers 7 arranged at the sides of the plate and between which thefinger 6 on plate 6 is adapted to pass. The projections or fingers arebent slightly downward and are adapted to pass beneath the opposing endsof the plates, the projection 6 passing beneath the plate 7 and theprojections 7 passing beneath the plate 6. Y

The outer ends of the plates 6 and 7 are bent downwardly at right anglesand have fixed thereto connterbalancing-weights 8', which are adapted tonormally hold the plates in a horizontal position with their fingeredinner ends interlocking. This interlocking feature of the bottom platesserves a double function-first, in locking the inner ends of 'the platesagainst upward movement above a horizontal level, and, secondly, inpreventing the animals feet from being caught between the ends of theplates when the said ends are tilted downwardly by reason of the weightof the animal thereon.

When the bottom plates of the passage-way are in their normal orhorizontal position, the doors 5 are adapted to lie back [iat upon thesame, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings; but whenananimalenters the passage-way and depresses the inner ends of the bottom platesthe outer ends ofthe same will be elevated and raise the doors 5 againstthe inner side of the inclined end walls of the passage and close theopenin'gstherein.

9 denotes the cage or body of the trap, which adjoins the passage-way atone side thereof and has communication therewith throughan opening10,formed in the contiguous side of the passage.

11 denotes a downwardly-inclined guideway projecting from the opening 10into the cage 9. This guideway is formed with beveled or tapering sides,between ,which and at the upper and wider ends thereof is pivoted theupper end of a drop-door l2, the vlower end of which rests on the bottomof said inclined guideway. The lower end of the bot-v tom of thisguideway is provided with an upwardly-turned end or flange whichprevents The cage is provided on one or more of itssides with gratingsor openings to admit light which will attract the animals from thepassage-way into the cage in hope of escape through said openings.

At the top of the inclined end walls of the passage-way are formedupwardly-projecting walls 15, which extend for sorne distancev above thetop of the trap and form stops or obstructions. These walls also extendalong one side of the projecting inclined ends of the passage-Way andilare or are deected outwardly from the same to form wings 16, whichtend to direct the course of the animal into the doors or openings inthe ends of the passage-way. These Walls extend high enough above thebody of the trap to deter the animal from passing over the same.

The inclined guidcway 11, which projects into the cage from the openingin the passage-way, has its lower free end in close proximity to the oorof the cage, so that the animal may walk right oi the guidcway onto thecage-floor and will not be deterred by a space necessitating'a jump tothe cagefloor, as might be the ease should the guideway projecthorizontally from the cage-wall.

When setting the trap, the passage-way side of the same is placedagainst a wall or other obstruction. The flaring wings 16 and wall l5will direct an animal which might run along near the wall toward thetrap, and seeing an open hole will readily run into the same, and thusbe captured without the use of bait. If desired, however, bait may beused, it being laid upon the plates forming the passage-way floor.

While we have described the use of the stopwalls and wings in connectionwith the trap,

it is obvious that the same may be constructed and used without the useof the same.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation,and advantages of our improved animal-trap will be readily apparentwithout requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

In an animal-trap of the class described, the combination with a cage ofa vestibule or passage-way, having inclined end walls, openings formedin said end walls, pivoted dropdoors adapted to close said openings,pivoted floor-plates arranged in said passage-way, the inner ends ofwhich are formed with interlocking fingers, counterbalancing weights xedto the outer ends of said door-plates, said outer ends being adapt-ed toclose said pivoted drop-doors by weight of an animal upon the inner endof the same, stop-walls and flaring wings arranged adjacent to theopenings in said passage-way, whereby the course of an animal isdirected to said openings, a door or opening communicating between sadpassage-way and said cage, a downwardly -inclined guidcway extendingfrom said door to the door of said cage, and a dropdoor for closing saiddoor and guideway, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER. C. NESMITH. JOEL L. BREWER.

Witnesses:

SILAS P. BEARD, ANDREW A. SULSER.

